Luggage handle structure

ABSTRACT

A luggage handle structure is coupled to a retractable pull rod of a luggage to control extension and retraction of the retractable pull rod. The luggage handle structure includes a handle, a button, a transmission member, and a pull rope. The handle has an accommodation space therein and a button hole at one side thereof to communicate with the accommodation space. The button is disposed in the button hole of the handle. The button has a rear end inserted into the accommodation space. The rear end has a first transmission portion. The transmission member is disposed in the accommodation space. The transmission member has a second transmission portion to mesh with the first transmission portion. The transmission member is driven by the button. One end of the pull rope is coupled to the transmission member, and another end is to bring the engaging mechanism to lock or unlock.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a luggage handle structure, and more particularly to a luggage handle structure able to control extension and retraction of a retractable pull rod of a luggage.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

In general, a luggage is provided with a retractable handle having one or two retractable pull rods. The retractable pull rod is provided with an engaging mechanism therein. When the engaging mechanism is locked, the retractable pull rod cannot be extended. When the engaging mechanism is unlocked, the retractable pull rod can be extended or retracted. The end of the retractable pull rod is coupled with a handle. The handle is provided with at least one button. The button is able to touch a link mechanism to lock or unlock the engaging mechanism, such that the user can extend or retract the extractable pull rod as desired.

However, the button of the handle applied to the retractable handle of the luggage is disposed at the center of the top of the handle. The user must push the button with his/her thumb, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,499,417, US5,727,898, U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,806, U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,529, U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,409, U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,475, U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,404, U.S. Pat. No. 8,141,204, U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,242, U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,459, U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,102, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,410, U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,542, U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,965, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,266, U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,103, U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,871, U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,698. The button may be disposed at the center of the bottom of the handle as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,441, U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,876, U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,088, U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,604, U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,854; or at one end of the handle as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,344, U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,572, U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,135, U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,512; or at both ends of the handle as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,200,896, U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,666, U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,715. Thus, it is necessary to push the button of most luggage handles with the thumb. It is not easy to push the button with the forefinger or the middle finger when the user grasps the handle. The position of the button is designed for the link mechanism to bring a pull rod. The pull rod is a metallic rod which cannot be bent. The pull rod is to touch the engaging mechanism in the retractable pull rod. If the pull rod is replaced with a pull rope which is cost-effective, the position of the button and the design of the link mechanism are more difficult.

Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a luggage handle structure. Through the button and the link mechanism of the handle, the button is located at a position to be pushed easily. The link mechanism is simple and cost-effective.

In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the luggage handle structure of the present invention is coupled to a retractable pull rod of a luggage to drive an engaging mechanism in the retractable pull rod. The luggage handle structure comprises a handle, a button, a transmission member, and a pull rope. The handle has an accommodation space therein. The handle has a top, a bottom opposite to the top, two sides connected between the top and the bottom, and two ends connected between the top and the bottom. One of the two sides has a button hole communicating with the accommodation space. The button is disposed in the button hole of the handle. The button has a front end protruding out of the button hole and a rear end inserted into the accommodation space. At least one side of the rear end has a first transmission portion. The transmission member is disposed in the accommodation space. The transmission member has a second transmission portion to mesh with the first transmission portion. The transmission member is driven by the button. One end of the pull rope is coupled to the transmission member, and another end of the pull rope is adapted to bring the engaging mechanism to lock or unlock.

The button of the luggage handle structure of the present invention is located at the side of the handle. This is beneficial to push the button when the user grasps the handle. The handle has a fashionable top. The luggage handle structure of the present invention can be used conveniently and has a simple structure and can lower the cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B-B according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view taken along line A-A showing the operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view taken along line B-B showing the operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the luggage handle structure of the present invention is coupled to a retractable pull rod 10 of a luggage to drive an engaging mechanism in the retractable pull rod 10. The luggage handle structure is able to control extension and retraction of the retractable pull rod 10. The luggage handle structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a handle 1, a button 2, a transmission member 3, and a pull rope 4. Preferably, the luggage handle structure of the present invention further comprises an elastic member 5 and a fixing member 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, the handle 1 is coupled to the upper end of the retractable pull rod 10 (as shown in FIG. 2). The handle 1 has an accommodation space 11 therein. The handle 1 has an inclined top 12, a bottom 13 opposite to the top 12, two sides 14 connected between the top 12 and the bottom 13, and two ends 15 connected between the top 12 and the bottom 13. One of the two sides 14 has a button hole 16 communicating with the accommodation space 11. Preferably, the handle 1 has a main body 17 and an upper cover 18. The main body 17 has the sides 14 and the button hole 16. The main body 17 is formed with the accommodation space 11. The upper cover 18 is mounted on top of the main body 17 to cover the accommodation space 11. The upper cover 18 is to form the top 12.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the button 2 is moveably disposed in the button hole 16 of the side 14 of the handle 1. The button 2 has a front end 21 protruding out of the button hole 16 and a rear end 22 inserted into the accommodation space 11. At least one side of the rear end 22 has a first transmission portion 23. As shown in FIG. 1, preferably, two sides of the rear end 22 each have the first transmission portion 23. Preferably, the first transmission portion 23 is a plurality of teeth 231 arranged in a line. The button 2 drives the transmission member 3 through the first transmission portion 23.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the transmission member 3 is disposed in the accommodation space 11. The edge of the transmission member 3 has a second transmission portion 31 to mesh with the first transmission portion 23. Preferably, the second transmission portion 31 is a plurality of teeth 311 arranged in a fan. When the second transmission portion 31 meshes with the first transmission portion 23 by pushing the front end 21 of the button 2, the transmission member 3 is driven by the button 2. As shown in FIG. 1, preferably, the transmission member 3 comprises a circular wheel disc 32 and a wire guide portion 33 adjacent the wheel disc 32. The edge of the wheel disc 32 has the second transmission portion 31 and a coupling portion 34. The coupling portion 34 is adapted to fix one end of the pull rope 4. Preferably, the coupling portion 34 has a through hole 341 and a slot 342 from the edge of the wheel disc 32 to the through hole 341. The slot 342 communicates with the through hole 341. The wire guide portion 33 is a semicircular groove for guiding the pull rope 4 when the transmission member 3 pulls the pull rope 4. Furthermore, the handle 1 has two conical shafts 111 disposed in the accommodation space 11. The center of the transmission member 3 has a conical hole 35 to mate with one of the conical shafts 111, so that the transmission member 3 is driven by the button 2 to rotate so as to bring the pull rope 4.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the pull rope 4 is a steel rope or a plastic rope. Preferably, the present invention has two pull ropes 4. One end of the pull rope 4 is coupled to the coupling portion 34 of the transmission member 3, and another end of the pull rope 4 passes through the a connecting portion 19 protruding from the bottom 13 of the handle 1 and enters the retractable pull rod 10 to be connected with the engaging mechanism (not shown in the drawings) so as to lock or unlock the engaging mechanism in the retractable pull rod 10. Preferably, one end of the pull rope 4 has a stop portion 41. When the pull rope 4 is inserted through the through hole 341 of the coupling portion 34, the stop portion 41 will lean against one end of the through hole 341 so that the pull rope 4 can be wound on the wire guide portion 33.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the elastic member 5 is a spiral spring or other elastic structures. One end of the elastic member 5 is against the rear end 22 of the button 2, and another end of the elastic member 5 is against the inner wall of the accommodation space 11 of the handle 1. After the button 2 is pushed, the button 2 is biased by the elastic member 5 to return to the original position. The fixing member 6 is in an arc shape or other shapes, and is coupled in the accommodation space 11 of the handle 1 to fix the elastic member 5.

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, when the luggage handle structure of the present invention is used, the connecting portion 19 of the handle 1 is inserted into the retractable pull rod 10 of the luggage. When the user wants to drag the luggage or to put away the luggage, the user can grasp the handle 1 and push the front end 21 of the button 2 with his/her forefinger or middle finger. When the button 2 is pushed inward relative to the handle 2, the teeth 231 of the first transmission portion 23 drive the teeth 311 of the second transmission portion 31 of the transmission member 3, such that the transmission member 3 is rotated to bring the pull rope 4 to ascend so as to unlock the engaging mechanism in the retractable pull rod 10. In this way, the retractable pull rod 10 can be extended or retracted. On the contrary, when the button 2 is released, the button 2 is biased by the elastic member 5 to return to the original position and the transmission member 3 is also driven to return to the original position. Thereby, the pull rope 4 is descended to lock the engaging mechanism in the retractable pull rod 10 again, so that the retractable pull rod 10 cannot be extended or retracted.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A luggage handle structure, coupled to a retractable pull rod of a luggage to drive an engaging mechanism in the retractable pull rod, comprising: a handle having an accommodation space therein, the handle having a top, a bottom opposite to the top, two sides connected between the top and the bottom, and two ends connected between the top and the bottom, one of the two sides having a button hole communicating with the accommodation space; a button disposed in the button hole of the handle, the button having a front end protruding out of the button hole and a rear end inserted into the accommodation space, at least one side of the rear end having a first transmission portion; a transmission member disposed in the accommodation space, the transmission member having a second transmission portion to mesh with the first transmission portion, the transmission member being driven by the button; and a pull rope, one end of the pull rope being coupled to the transmission member, another end of the pull rope being adapted to bring the engaging mechanism to lock or unlock.
 2. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle has a main body and an upper cover, the main body having the sides and the button hole, the main body being formed with the accommodation space, the upper cover being mounted on top of the main body to cover the accommodation space.
 3. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transmission portion is a plurality of teeth arranged in a line, and the second transmission portion is a plurality of teeth arranged in a fan.
 4. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transmission member comprises a circular wheel disc and a wire guide portion adjacent the wheel disc, an edge of the wheel disc having the second transmission portion and a coupling portion.
 5. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coupling portion has a through hole and a slot from the edge of the wheel disc to the through hole, the slot communicating with the through hole.
 6. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the handle has two conical shafts disposed in the accommodation space, and a central portion of the transmission member has a conical hole to mate with one of the conical shafts.
 7. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein one end of the pull rope has a stop portion, the pull rope being inserted through the through hole, the stop portion leaning against one end of the through hole, the pull rope being wound on the wire guide portion.
 8. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein two sides of the rear end of the button each have the first transmission portion, two transmission members each having the second transmission portion to mesh with the first transmission portion, two pull ropes being respectively coupled with the two transmission members.
 9. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an elastic member, one end of the elastic member being against the rear end of the button.
 10. The luggage handle structure as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an arc fixing member to fix the elastic member. 